Have you ever wanted to know How to Keep Pumpkins From Rotting so fast?
Try these tips when you are preparing and carving your pumpkins this year if you want to know how to make a pumpkin last longer than usual.
How to Make a Pumpkin Last Longer
Anytime that we have wanted to carve our pumpkins during the fall season, we have had to wait until the night before Halloween in order to assure that the pumpkins would last more than a few hours.
It seems almost as if they begin to rot the moment you cut into them, and the at is because they do!
This year I decided to do a little research to see if there was anything we could to do protect our pumpkins from rotting so quickly.
What I found out was that if you want to keep your carved pumpkins from rotting so quickly, you need to do something to preserve them from the beginning.
That’s right! It turns out that the moment that you cut the pumpkin with a knife you destroy their natural protection, making room for bacteria and fungi to grow, and thus begins the decay process.
But there are some things that you can do to extend the life of your carved pumpkins this year, so you can enjoy them even longer.
How to Make Carved Pumpkin Last Longer
Wash your pumpkins.
Make sure you wash the outside of the pumpkin before carving to get rid of any dirt that could carry microscopic organisms that will begin attacking the pumpkin once it has been cut.
Spray your pumpkins.
You can easily make a preservative “bleach” spray using this Homemade Bleach.
Homemade All Natural Non-Toxic Bleach Alternative
1 Cup Peroxide
1 Cup Water
10 – 20 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
Spray the entire inside and all exposed cut areas liberally with your Bleach Solution and allow to dry for about 30 minutes.
Protect your pumpkin.
Now that you’ve cleaned and preserved your pumpkin, you’ll want to do something to protect it.
Rub coconut oil or petroleum jelly over all the areas that you previously sprayed with your preservative spray. This will create a protective barrier that will help keep new bacteria or fungi from growing and extend the life of you carved treasure.
Keep in mind that sunlight and heat are the main enemies of the carved pumpkin and help bacteria to grow. So make sure that when choosing a place to display your pumpkin, you look for a spot that is out of direct sunlight.
Now the only thing you have to protect your pumpkins from are neighborhood critters!
The squirrels LOVE to eat them 😉
I have not been able to find a way to keep the squirrels and chipmunks away once they find them. But I have noticed that they don’t seem to be interested in them once they have been sprayed with the bleach spray and covered in coconut oil.
Pumpkin Carving Links
If you are looking for some fun and free Pumpkin carving ideas, check out these FREE Pumpkin Carving Patterns.
There are SO many to choose from!
And you can’t forget to make sure you have all the Pumpkin Carving Tools you’ll need.
